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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: vault · nail · plane · net · kick · cabinet · trunk · arm

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. net — in sport
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. net — for catching
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. plane — a tool
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. vault — a safe
  21. net — after costs
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. kick — in football
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com